The Future of Entertainment
Reimagining the entertainment for upcoming generations and exploring strategic directions for product development
Project Overview
The television replaced the fireplace as the focal point of the living room in the 1990s. Since then entertainment through media providers has become an embedded part of our everyday lives, transitioning from bulky television sets with limited options to a much more curated, diversified and accessible form.
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However, to remain relevant, this industry must utilise insights from foresight, knowledge of global market trends, while continuously innovating to keep audiences not just interested, but excited for more. Through this project, we explored how insights into emerging media habits worldwide can inform fresh and innovative offerings to engage younger viewers.
ABOUT
Design Strategy, New Product Development
TIMELINE
January 2022 - April 2022
LOCATION
London, UK
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Players in the global media production and entertainment industry and upcoming generations
Context
For this project, my Master’s cohort was approached by one of the leading media and entertainment players in the UK industry to gain fresh perspectives on their strategy to maintain relevance for the needs of the upcoming generations, based on our insights from relevant trends for new product development.
Process
Phase 1: Initial Immersion
We initiated the project by meeting with the client for an in-depth download to understand their business, gaps, and rationale for targeting Gen Z.
This interaction inspired us to go the extra mile and conduct research about the competitive landscape and category trends from our approach, applying different filters of understanding and logic, in order to develop our take on it. To take this foundation for the strategy project even further, we also benchmarked entertainment and media innovations globally to draw broader insights.
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Methods - Competitive landscape, category trends, secondary research
The approach adopted to understand the client brief
The goals we set from re-defining the brief based on our research
Based on our foundational understanding of the context, interaction with the client and research about the category we applied foresight tools such as STEEP(Social, Technological, Economical, Environmental and Political) analysis to decode macro and micro trends beyond the sector, to identify informed opportunities for innovation.
This enabled us to develop an enriched perspective encompassing the category and beyond in the global context. Throughout the process we engaged leading foresight experts from Arup and Canvas 8 to test out our proof of concepts.These generative collaborations expanded our perspectives exponentially.
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Methods - STEEP Analysis, trend analysis, desk research on global case studies
Phase 2: Research and Foresight
STEEP analysis to decode category relevant macro and micro trends
Our strong research foundation grounded in user needs paved the way for synthesising trends and signals with promising potentials, for the client to consider with regard to diversification of their offerings.
We presented two opportunity areas for feedback with the intent of diversifying into a specific category that would be sustainable in the longer run, as it addresses the gaps, behaviours and preferences of not just Gen Z, but also Gen Alpha. The client resonated strongly with our value proposition about exploring ‘edutainment’ as a concept with a recurring revenue model.
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Methods - RDE framework, value proposition canvas
Phase 3: Identifying Opportunities
Exploring the category of Edutainment with the support of other behavioral trends
Building on the validated opportunities, we developed on the concept of 'edutainment' - blending education and entertainment to engage the target audience. We also conceived a sustainable recurring revenue model to diversify beyond ad sales by reviving some of their pre-existing content and refreshing their editing and storytelling to create new media relevant to their audience.
After collaborative iterations, we constructed detailed concepts with potential partnerships, addressing near-term quick wins and long-term strategic plays, which were very well received by the client.
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Methods - Business design tools to evaluate and position offerings, service and product design blueprints and prototypes of recommended direction
Phase 4: Product and Concept Development
Exploring the category of Edutainment with the support of other behavioral trends
Learning Outcome
Through this project I learned how to effectively manage teams, communication, and facilitate collaboration.
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Since this project was an industry project, the entire team was keen on giving their best. This enthusiasm and everyone’s varied expertise needed to be given space and factored into the project. This was done through the initial introduction of Nesta’s Triple Diamond, which helped us set goals and talk about our expectations from this project and approach towards it, to find something that worked best for everyone.
© 2024 by Poojitha Lal
© 2023 Poojitha Lal | Portfolio